Today we will learn whether Tennessee’s schools will reopen this spring and what, if any, provisions will be made for high school seniors who suffered injury by losing the numerous perks of their final year and added insult by the state Board of Education threatening to deny them credit for coursework missed through no fault of their own.
Find discussion of this on state Rep. Gloria Johnson’s Facebook page here.
Of course, you’ve got to chew through Johnson’s battles with the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development (about unemployment payments), the Secretary of State’s office (about voting by mail) and her general defense of the U.S. Postal Service.
For somebody who is staying quietly at home, Gloria Johnson continues to make waves in Nashville, and her posts are being shared across the state. (Go, Glo!)
More on Facebook
While you’re checking out Gloria Johnson’s posts, take a look at some of these pages:
- Knoxville Foodies: Private group with 7,100 members. Group members share recipes as well as local restaurants providing take-out. The administrator of the group is a chef instructor. He offers curbside meal pickup and recently baked and donated Easter cakes to group members in need, like Joey, a Special Olympics champion since 1978.
- Premier Athletics: Public page with 6,300 followers. Premier Athletics serves as a training facility for hundreds of area middle and high school cheerleading and dance teams. During COVID-19 has posted live workouts and dance routines to keep followers active. They’re encouraging children interested in cheer to follow along.
- Knoxville Martial Arts Academy: Public page with 3,900 followers that includes Facebook Live videos for followers to stay active in this time of isolation. The page also hosts classes to engage with children at home.
- Ole Smoky Distillery: Public page with over 1 million followers. Ole Smoky Distillery headquartered in Gatlinburg, has migrated to making sanitizer out of the materials in their facilities. The company also features Facebook Live concerts for followers to tune-in and support local musicians.
Facebook Groups Made in Response to COVID-19:
- Knox Makes Masks: Public group with 1,700 members. Group members can either sew or donate supplies for masks to be given to first responders in the community. If you’d like to help or donate, join the Facebook group to get connected and for instructions.
- Knoxville Store Status: Public group with 3,300 members. Group members share updates on Knoxville stores where groceries, cleaning products and other necessities are available and in-stock to help discourage unnecessary travelling and potential exposure.
- Corona – To Go Options in Knoxville TN: Public group with 1,700 members. Group members share updates on local restaurant menu changes and recommendations on where to find to-go food.
- COVID-19 Sevier County, TN – Business Updates: Public group with 1,700 members. For an area that relies on tourism and small businesses, group members share information from local business owners as well as ways to give back to the community.
- Knoxville Strong – Distance Socially, Support Locally: Public group with 400 members. Group members highlight small businesses that have made alternative arrangements to serve customers during COVID-19.
- Farragut/West Knoxville Take-Out, Delivery, & Service Options amid COVID-19: Public group with 420 members. Group members post about local restaurants in Knoxville such as menus, delivery options, specials, and reviews during this time of social distancing.
- Coronavirus Knoxville: Public group with 1,800 members. Group members discuss timely COVID-19 information that impacts the Knoxville community.
- Hat tip to Catherine Johnson of Crisp Communications for this list.